A 12V 300ah lithium battery is an ideal use for a small home lighting system, street light, portable generator, energy storage system, science projects, etc., but the main question is how can I charge this battery.
Lithium-ion battery Environment
Batteries should be stored and installed in a clean, cool and dry place, keeping water, oil, and dirt away from the batteries. If any of these materials are allowed to accumulate on the batteries, tracking and current leakage can occur, resulting in self-discharge and possible short-circuits. Battery chargers should also be installed in well-ventilated, clean areas that are easily accessible. The recommended operating temperature range is between -4°F to 122°F (-20°C to +50°C) with a humidity of <90%. Elevated battery electrolyte temperatures of >80°F (27°C) will reduce operating life, while lower battery electrolyte temperatures of <80°F (27°C) will reduce battery performance. It is important to minimize temperature variations between the cells, therefore, do not arrange the batteries where they are too tightly ow. The batteries should have a minimum of 0.50” (12.7 mm) of space between . There are no liquids in the Deep Cycle Batteries. Because the chemistry is a solid, the battery can be mounted in any direction and there are no worries about lead plates cracking from vibration.
Lithium-ion charging levels
Proper charging is imperative to maximize battery performance. Both under-reduce the life of the battery. Most chargers are automatic and pre-programmed, while others are manual and allow the user to set the voltage and current values. Never charge a frozen battery. Ionic Deep Cycle Batteries may be used below freezing but charging below freezing causes plating/crystallization which weakens the battery making it more likely to fail due to vibration or hard use. Avoid charging at temperatures above 122°F (50°C).
Charging profile
For Ionic 12V Deep Cycle batteries, you should set your charger profile to charge up to 14.6 volts for 30 minutes and then float charge at 13.8 volts. For 24V Deep Cycle batteries, you should set your charger profile to charge up to 29.2 volts for 30 minutes and then float charge at 27.6 volts. For 48V Deep Cycle batteries, you should set your charger profile to charge up to 58.4 volts for 30 minutes and then float charge at 55.2 volts. Note that all 12V batteries above 12Ah, configured in Series, must be charged individually at 12V. Our 12V 12Ah battery has speci ic circuitry that will allow the batteries to be charged in series as conf charged with a 24V charger).
Slow or Fast charging
The charger voltage should always match the battery voltage or less. The newest Ionic chargers are designed to be left connected and powered on continuously. Chargers that do not have a “trickle charge” feature should be discontinued after the charging process is completed. To slow charge a battery use a charger with a amperage that about 10 percent of the batteries total amp-hours. To do a fast charge use a charger output that is about 40-45 percent of the batteries amp-hours of the batteries amp-hours. Slow charging results in lower battery temperatures and enhances the longevity of the battery and is therefore recommended by Ionic when possible. As an example, using a 100Ah battery, you would slow charge it by using a 10A charger and the battery would take about 10 hours to charge. You would fast charge it by using a 45A charger and it would charge in a little over 2 hours to charge. (See TABLE 5, PAGE 16 for our charger recommendations for each Ionic model)
Low temperatures
Many battery users are unaware that lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged below 0°C (32°F). Although the pack appears to be charging normally, plating of metallic lithium can occur on the anode during a sub-freezing charge. This is permanent and cannot be removed with cycling. Batteries with lithium plating are more vulnerable to failure if exposed to vibration or other stressful conditions. Lithium-ion batteries do warm up quickly with use as compared to lead-acid, so you may be able to get them above freezing with some use, allowing for a charge. It all depends on how cold of an environment you have and caution is advised.
Lithium-ion batteries capacity decreases when operating below freezing temperatures( 32F/ 0C). The current is still available, but the stored capacity will decrease. The colder the temperature the less capacity available. Both lead-acid and lithium-ion cells have increased internal resistance as the temperatures fall. Lithium batteries have more internal resistance in extreme cold temperatures of 0°F (-18°C) or lower, however, the batteries can be warmed up much quickly simply by putting a load on the battery, such as turning on your headlights for 15 to 30 seconds. Since Ionic batteries have substantially lower mass than lead-acid batteries, they warm up much quicker.
How to choose an ECO-WORTHY lithium battery charger? Can I charge my lithium battery with a lead-acid charger?
Lithium batteries are not like lead-acid and not all battery chargers are the same. A 12V lithium battery fully charged to 100% will hold voltage around 13.3V-13.4V. Its lead-acid cousin will be approx 12.6V-12.7V.
A lithium battery at 20% capacity will hold voltage around 13V, its lead-acid cousin will be approx 11.8V at the same capacity.
So if you use the lead-acid charger to charge your lithium battery, it may not be fully charged.
You can use an AC to DC lead-acid charger powered by mains power, as charge efficiency and duration are less of a concern, it must not have automatic desulfation or equalization modes. If it does, do not use it as there is a high chance of damage to the cells or battery. This can have a significant reduction in battery longevity. If it has a simple bulk/ absorption/ float charge profile, then it can be used to recharge the battery but must be disconnected once charged and not left in trickle charge/maintenance mode. It must also have a maximum output voltage of 13V-14.5V. When it comes to DC-DC chargers and solar controllers, you must change these to LiFePO4 specific models.
Can I charge lithium batteries in the cold?
Lithium batteries rely on chemical reactions to work, and the cold can slow and even stop those reactions from occurring. Unfortunately, charging them in low temperatures is not as effective as doing so under normal weather conditions because the ions that provide the charge do not move properly in cold weather. There’s one hard and fast rule: to prevent irreversible damage to the battery, don’t charge them when the temperature falls below freezing (0°C or 32°F) without reducing the charge current. Because the lithium batteries suffer from a phenomenon of lithium metal plating on the anode if charged at high rates in cold temperatures. This could cause an internal short of the battery and a failure.
Can I leave the ECO-WORTHY lithium battery on charging all the time?
For a lithium battery with a low maintenance charging procedure and battery management system, it’s perfectly fine and better than leaving them discharged for a long period. Regardless of whether it is a dedicated charger or a general charger, under normal conditions, it has a charging cut-off voltage, which means that it will stop charging at a certain volt. The same is true for the solar panel controller, and the controller can also be configured like this. The solar panel is directly connected for charging. If there is a problem with the BMS, it may be overcharged.Detailed introduction on 12V:12V Lithium Ion Battery
Can I recharge my lithium battery from my vehicle alternator?
Yes, but not necessarily to full charge, because most Alternators are adjusted for the lower voltage requirements of the vehicle Lead/Acid Battery (approximately 13.9V). Lithium Batteries require 14.4 to 14.6 Volts to fully charge. That being said, you can get up to approximately a 70% charge, depending on the depth of discharge and distance driven while recharging from your vehicle alternator.
It’s best to use a DC to DC charger, which helps protect and extend the life of your RV battery and not overload your vehicle alternator. Most DC to DC charger models have the same three-stage charging modes, and they will safely charge the battery and prevent alternator damage.